The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-03-12
THOUGHTS APPROPRIATE TO LENT.
BY REV. MARY J. DELoNG.
(Neenah, Wis

1t can only be a matter Of satisfac-
tiOn that the practice is becoming more
general in our branch of Ae church, Of
making Lent a time of spSciaI religious
activity, instruction in hoctrine and
awakening of religious feAling, locking
toward church membership. It seems
eminently proper that some such season
should be observed, becaAse the mat
ters Of careful instruction. in the great
and important doctrines Of the Christ
ian religion; the evidences which look
toward the validity, or tFB demonstra-
ton, Of these doctrines; the claims of
the church, together with the supreme
historical facts and data upon which
these claims are found&d; how the
church came to be, and what it stands
for; are surely of the utmost Importance
and interest to all who think at all upon
the subject.
To be sure, it might be said that the
things of religion are matters which
should be always in our thoughts. and
should not be left to comaup by them
selves at any one single or separate
season; as though they could be sufii-
GENTLY considered during the forty
days of Lent, aud then d1spped for the
rest of the year. Such reasoning is fall
laciOus, because, even though we should
in reality, as we do not, hald every sea
son sacred to the doingkof religious
duty that need net huid <eus,-,;n fact.
would all the more require of us,-that
we have seasons in which our thoughts
should be wholly given to the work
of strengthening our moral powers,
kindling our imaginations, and gather
ing new zeal in, and for, the doing of
our common daily tasks. 1t is true that
the principles of our holy religion, the
claims of the church, the evidences
upon which the church is founded, the
revelation which is its most priceless
treasure, should all command constant
thought and study; but this does not
hinder nor forbid the setting apart of
time when these should have special at
tention, and should be brought to bear,
with special emphasis, upon the mind
and heart of all.
Again it might be said that fasting
can only be a virtue when it is neces-
sary for health; and that can only be
the case in severe sickness, or in those
barbarOus, and half barbarOus times
when men goTged themselves, habitu-
ally, with food and drink, and, because
OF that habit, were obliged to abstain
occasionally, if for no other reason than
that food became positively distasteful
to them. But men are always ready,
when in half-ciyilized state, to run
up an account with the gods, and to
turn over to them, as bonus, any little
sacrifices they are compelled TO make of
this worlds good things. So it was
easy in the long ago, and in crude
state of society, for them to turn over
their enforced abstinence from food to
their own credit Oh the judgment books
of the unseen powers, and thus, as it
were, kill two birds with one stone
renew their own physical condition,
and score one on the side of future hap
piness. One Of the virtues of the civ
ilized man is that he controls his appe
tite and as he is not gluttonous, so he is
not compelled to fast, except in rare
case Of great physical inability. More
over as he has learnt that moral laws
have their own sanctions, he can not
feel like handing over an enforced and
necessary abstinence from food to the
moral side Of his nature and reckoning
it there, as so much to his credit on the
ledger of eternal life.
Hence it may be urged that this set
ting apart of certain time for an en-
forced fast is open to grave objections;
that it sayOrs of crude and supersti-
tiOus past which mankind in their adj
vance toward better things, have left
behind that it is, in reality, heather
in its spirit as in its origin and is un-
worthy a moment candid thought from
enlightened and truly Christian men
and women.
But after all let US not be too sure.
| It is even now a recognized fact that
over-feasting makes us earthly ; that
high feeding, even such measure of it
as the civilized man may indulge in, Is
Incompatible with high thinking that
the soul enjoys aud treasures most
when the body supports without en-